Monterrey "MTY" City
Branding
Monterrey, a sprawling business and industrial center, is the vibrant capital of Nuevo León, a northeastern Mexican state, nestled amidst stunning mountain ranges. This dynamic city offers a captivating blend of urban modernity and natural beauty. Its iconic skyline, punctuated by towering skyscrapers and modern architecture, contrasts sharply with the lush green mountains that surround the city. One of the city's most recognizable landmarks is Cerro de la Silla, a distinctive mountain that resembles a saddle, offering breathtaking views of the city and surrounding landscape.
Task
I was tasked with redesigning the logo for the city of Monterrey, a vibrant metropolis nestled amidst stunning mountain ranges. The goal was to create a visual identity that captures the city's unique blend of industrial heritage, natural beauty, and modern dynamism. The project involved designing a new logo that would evoke the city's spirit and represent its diverse facets.
Tools
Sketchpad, Wacom Intuos Pro, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Miro.
Process
I dove deep into Monterrey's history and culture to get a feel for the city's vibe. I learned about its industrial roots, stunning mountain landscapes, and vibrant art scene. These insights helped me create a fresh and iconic logo that truly captured the essence of Monterrey.
Previous Logo
The Monterrey logo features a vibrant, multicolored mountain range within a circular frame. The name "Monterrey" is placed below the image, with the tagline "La Gran Ciudad" (The Great City) underneath. The logo utilizes a gradient color palette, suggesting dynamism and energy. The overall design conveys a sense of pride, progress, and natural beauty.
Moodboard
To kickstart the rebranding process, I created a mood board to visually capture Monterrey's essence. This collection of images and colors helped me establish a clear direction for the logo design, focusing on the city's industrial heritage, natural beauty, and modern dynamism.
Sketches
Drawing inspiration from the mood board, I embarked on sketching various logo concepts. These initial sketches explored different interpretations of Monterrey's identity. I experimented with typography and other elements to convey the city's dynamism and cultural richness.
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I also incorporated elements that symbolize the city's unique character, such as the iconic Cerro de la Silla mountain and the vibrant colors of the local culture. By blending these elements, I aimed to create a logo that captures the essence of Monterrey and resonates with its people.
Rough Drafts
I explored various typographic treatments for the wordmark "Monterrey" and the tagline "The City of Mountains." Some designs incorporated a minimalist approach with clean lines and bold typography, while others leaned towards a more dynamic and stylized look. I also experimented with different arrangements of the wordmark and tagline, considering both horizontal and vertical layouts.
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Additionally, I played with the iconic mountain motif, exploring various shapes and styles to represent Monterrey's unique landscape. Some designs featured a simplified mountain silhouette, while others incorporated more intricate details.
Round 1
I presented two logo concepts: a bold, colorful "MTY" monogram with a hidden mountain in it and a minimalist design with a stylized mountain called Cerro de la Silla. The first logo, with its vibrant colors and energetic typography, aims to capture the city's youthful spirit, cultural diversity, and natural beauty. The "MTY" monogram represents the city's initials and each letter is a different color, symbolizing the various aspects of its identity. The tagline "City of Mountains" emphasizes Monterrey's unique geography.
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The second logo, with its clean lines and serene color palette, also emphasizes Monterrey's natural beauty and its iconic mountain. The minimalist design features a stylized mountain silhouette, representing the city's mountainous landscape. The wordmark "Monterrey" is placed below the mountain, with the tagline "The City of Mountains" in a smaller font. The predominantly blue color palette symbolizes the city's sky and water bodies.
Round 2
For the second round, I refined the bold and colorful "MTY" monogram, focusing on its simplicity and iconic shape. The monogram's hidden mountain silhouette subtly references Monterrey's unique geography. I improved the color palette, selecting a more harmonious range of hues to enhance the logo's visual appeal. Additionally, I adjusted the font of the tagline "The City of Mountains" to complement the monogram's style and weight.
Final Logo Design
I ultimately chose the bold and colorful "MTY" monogram as the foundation for the final logo design. This direction effectively captures the city's vibrant energy and youthful spirit. The "MTY" letters, each in a different color, symbolize the city's diverse culture and identity, and the mountain still represents the city's natural charms. Additionally, I decided to remove the tagline "The City of Mountains" to streamline the logo and create a more minimalist and impactful look.
